Just over a year ago, Colin Walsh got the news that, to be honest, gutted him.
It happens to a lot of athletes at some point in time, when they’re told they’re not quite good enough to make a particular team.
It’s just that in Walsh’s case, this happened to be the national senior men’s softball squad, and he’d just been informed he didn’t make the cut on the team that would represent the country in the world championship in the Czech Republic.
Ouch. It hurt, a lot. Especially because he had been on the Canadian side that participated in the 2017 words in Whitehorse.
But you know what? Credit to Walsh. He could have sulked, folded the tent and slinked home, feeling all sorry for himself.
But he didn’t. He went and had a whale of a summer, helping the Galway Hitmen win another Canadian senior men’s championship, and just last month was among 44 players - and 10 from this province – on Softball Canada’s long list of players for the 2020 Canadian team.
“It definitely feels very good,” said the Petty Harbour native, of finding himself back in the national team fold. “It feels sweeter. My aim — all of us have the same goal, really – is to have a good year.”
Walsh is a very, very good 27-year-old ball player. He’s a good southpaw pitcher, who can give you a good start, and throw some innings of relief. But he probably doesn’t fall into Hall of Fame discussion.
He’s a good hitter, too, but is no Stephen Mullaley, the just-retired national team veteran from Freshwater.
“It’s good to have a chip on your shoulder in a way. When the time comes, you kind of grind your teeth and go a little harder.”
Colin Walsh
Walsh is an outstanding, versatile player. Problem was, on this particular Canadian senior men’s national team squad last summer, there were a bunch of really good, versatile athletes.
Sometimes, when team selections are made, numbers come into play.
“I don’t care who you are, or how old you are, when you’re cut, it’s tough,” Walsh said. “Especially when it involves something to which you were so looking forward.”
In August, Walsh put the disappointment behind him, headed off to Grande Prairie, Alta., and helped the Hitmen win Newfoundland and Labrador’s seventh Canadian senior men’s fastpitch championship in eight years.
He was the playoff MVP after pitching all four of Galway's playoff wins, including three straight on championship Sunday. He was 3-0 in the round-robin, and went 10-for-20 at the plate for a .500 average, with a couple of home runs.
He made a statement, and Softball Canada listened.
“It’s good to have a chip on your shoulder in a way,” he said. “When the time comes, you kind of grind your teeth and go a little harder.”
Canada won a second straight bronze medal in the Czech Republic, having also placed third in Whitehorse (world championships are held every two years).
Walsh was saying all the right things the other day, about how tough it was for the coaching staff to select the 2019 squad, about the level of depth on the Canadian roster, about how happy he was for the players who did make the team.
What he wasn’t saying, however, was that sometimes nice guys don’t always finish last, and for dozens of athletes who have been overlooked at one time or another, there is always a ray of sunshine around the corner.
Daniel Cleary was cut from the national junior team umpteen times. He made out OK. Ryane Clowe couldn’t make the all-star team in bantam hockey. He did pretty good.
Failure doesn’t define you.
If taken the right way, it can only make you better.
I’m willing to bet Colin Walsh is a better ball player today.
Robin Short is The Telegram’s Sports Editor.
He can be reached by email at [email protected]
Follow him on Twitter @TelyRobinShort
